Toshiba, NRG to deliver 2MW battery for Texas wind farm

Toshiba and NRG Energy have completed a new battery energy storage system that will benefit the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid.

The Elbow Creek Energy Storage project is a lithium-ion based Toshiba battery system that is able to store and provide up to 2MW of electrical power. The project located near major generator and utility NRG’s and NRG Yield’s Elbow Creek Wind Farm in Howard County, Texas, was designed to enhance the stability of the local electric grid. Transmission system operator ERCOT is repsonsible for the provision and maintenance around 90% of Texas residents’ electricity network, run as a non-profit corporation and overseen by the state’s Public Utilities’ Commission (PUC).

The battery system is expected to help solve short-term grid issues by offering high-speed frequency regulation services. The project was manufactured at Toshiba’s 1 million sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas and features Toshiba’s SCiBTM Rechargeable Battery.

It has been part funded by Texas’ environment agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and it is hoped that the project can contribute to the state’s efforts to meet decarbonisation targets. TCEQ introduced the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) in August 2016, which gives out grants for individuals and businesses seeking to implement technologies that reduce diesel, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide, aimed primarily for air quality purposes, rather than explicity for decarbonisation.

Kyle Kem, president of the social infrastructure systems group at Toshiba International Corporation, said: “Toshiba has a legacy of innovation in power transmission and distribution dating back more than 100 years – the Toshiba Battery Energy Storage System is our latest contribution to improving energy efficiency. Now that this installation is online, we look forward to further streamlining the assembly process at our Houston-based manufacturing headquarters.”